Prince next door (Prinxiety au)

Chapter 12

Christmas and new year passed by and Virgil was pleased his parents at least tried to not break each other down too much in his presence. It also helped Roman was there this year to distract him from the things happening around him and inside his head. His grandma was delighted as well to see him and it was nice to talk to his cousins again. They're all back at school now. Virgil had hoped Marten might have calmed down over the holidays, but when he gets back nothing is less true so it seems. There's mold in the fridge and one of the cupboards because his roommate didn't stop to think his food could go bad in the time he went home.
"Honestly it smells horrible." Virgil immediately called Roman on videochat when he stumbled home in this mess.
"Just look at it." He adds as he turns his camera to the fridge where the mold is still terrorizing Marten's oranges.
"By Odin's beard that's disgusting." Roman scrunches up his nose in distaste. Virgil turns the camera back to him.
"Tell me about it. I already went to the store to get all the cleaning products and gloves." He lets his friend know.
"Do you have an extra pair?" Roman wonders.
"Yeah, in case the others would get dirty beyond saving them." Virgil holds up the two pair of pink, rubber gloves.
"Alright, then I'll be there in a few to help." Roman reacts.
"Oh no, you don't have to, Ro. I'll be fine." Virgil declines his offer.
"Too late. Already putting on my shoes." The older brunet smirks. Showing he indeed is putting on his shoes with one hand.
"See you in a sec." He winks before hanging up on Virgil who sighs while also smiling softly because Roman didn't listen to him. By the time Virgil puts some music on and grabs a garbage bag, Roman already rings his door bell. Virgil opens the door with an unimpressed look on his face.
"You voluntarily want to help me clean up my disgusting roommate's mold?" He crosses his arms.
"For you? Guess so." Roman smirks as he walks past Virgil to get in.
"Well, I'm going to give you one 'I regret my choice' card after you've actually smelled it, but if you still decide to be stubborn after that it's your problem." Virgil tells him as he follows Roman into the kitchen.
"Oh thanks, Roman, for helping me! How kind of you." His friend mutters in a different voice. Smirking over his shoulder at Virgil.
"I really hope that's not supposed to be me." Virgil points threateningly at him. Roman's smirk grows into a sneaky grin.
"What if it is?" He teases.
"You just lost that get out of jail card offer." Virgil replies with a crooked smile.
"How bad can it be? I don't smell anything yet." Roman looks around the room as if to proof it. Virgil hums.
"Open the fridge." He nods at the white holding cell of doom. Roman squints his eyes as he goes to do exactly that.
"Oh! Oh, that's bad." He instantly throws the door closed again as he gags.
"Told you." Virgil smirks amused.
"I'm in a good mood today, so you can still use that card after all." He adds knowingly. Roman shakes his head.
"No, I'm going to help." He replies stubborn. Virgil looks surprised before smirking.
"It's your funeral." He comments.
"I'm pretty sure it's going to be both of our funeral by the time we're done." His best friend comments as he puts on the remaining pair of gloves. Virgil hums agreeing and picks up the garbage bag again.
"I'm going to throw everything that's gone bad in here. Hopefully the smell will leave along with it." He tells him his plan.
"I'll start at the cupboard." Roman nods towards the other place where there's mold. Luckily a lot less than in the fridge. They clean for over an hour. Covering everything in a layer of disinfectant spray.
"How does it still smell?" Roman scrunches up his nose. Virgil lifts his shoulder in a manner that lets him know he doesn't know either.
"I guess I'll have to leave them open for the night." He reasons. Already opening the windows as well. Luckily there's nothing left in the fridge that could go bad if it wouldn't stay refrigerated for a couple of hours.
"Let's retreat to a less smelly place." Roman suggests after washing his hands.
"I think my room is still smell free." Virgil offers.
"The apartment all to yourself and you still have to hide in your room." Roman observes.
"I bet that was his evil plan all along." Virgil jokes.
"Hey, what are you doing for Valentines?" Roman wonders suddenly. Virgil looks up surprised. Not expecting that question at all.
"Uh, nothing. Why?" He replies confused. Roman shrugs.
"I don't know. I figured we might spend it together?" He admits.
"W-What do you mean?" Virgil tries his best to not get his hopes up.
"I mean we're both single. So are Logan and Patton. We should all stick together on that day." Roman replies. Virgil shoves back the disappointment as fast as it came.
"I'm pretty sure Logan and Patton won't want to spend that day with us." He comments knowingly then.
"What? Why?" Roman looks utterly confused.
"Have you really not noticed how they act around one another? How they seem to jump back as soon as either one of us walks into the same room?" Virgil looks up at his friend with amused, twinkling eyes.
"Patton and Logan?" Roman quirks one of his eyebrows. Virgil nods.
"Patton and Logan." He repeats affirmative. Roman seems to think for a while before his eyes go wide open.
"Those lying bastards. No one works as much as Logan. I bet Patton doesn't even visit his family half the time he says he does." Roman looks absolutely baffled at the revelation. Virgil chuckles softly at his reaction.
"Why isn't anyone bothering them instead?" Roman mutters frustrated.
"What?" Virgil knits his eyebrows together in confusion.
"Nothing." Roman shakes his head. "Well, I guess it's just going to be you and me then." He adds. Virgil sits down on his bed. Spending valentine's day with Roman is probably the last thing he should do in his situation.
"I'm not a valentine's day fan." He utters.
"That's exactly why you shouldn't sit here alone. Just come along. There's a party down town." Roman quickly chimes in. Virgil quirks one of his black eyebrows.
"And watch a bunch of drunk couples make out? No thanks." He declines. Roman sighs dramatically when he plumps down next to the younger man.
"Please? Just come with for me. Because I helped you clean that disgusting mold!" He pleads.
"Hey, I never asked you to do that." Virgil objects.
"I know and I'd still do it even if you say no, but I really hope you say yes." Roman replies with those puppy eyes again. Virgil lets out a deep sigh as he lets himself fall back on the mattress.
"Fine." He gives in.
"Yess. You're the best!" Roman cheers. Virgil hums unimpressed. He's actually pretty far from being the best. Roman notices his lack of enthusiasm and lays down as well to look at his friend better.
"How have you been doing lately?" He asks in a more serious tone. Virgil casts his eyes up at Roman who's laying on his side while holding up his head with his elbow.
"I'm fine, Ro." He reassures the other man as he looks down at the little music box in his hands.
"You know you can tell me everything, right?" Roman makes sure he knows that. Virgil smiles up at him weakly.
"I know, princey. Don't worry about me." He replies. Trying to sound more cheery.
"I'll never stop worrying about you, Virge. That's kind of my job as your best friend." Roman reacts. A genuine smiles pulls up the corners of Virgil's lips, but he doesn't look up at Roman. Instead fidgeting at the music box.
"What's that music you've been playing?" Roman changes the subject to not push Virgil away. Virgil almost looks startled up at him then.
"Oh, uh, Red. I'm sorry, I'll change it to something else." He replies. Suddenly realizing he just let the playlist he put on before Roman joined, play without asking him if it was alright.
"No, no. You don't have to do that. I was just curious." Roman quickly stops him.
"I discovered them in sophomore year." Virgil smiles up at him. Before looking down at the box again.
"I don't know, their songs just make me feel like I'm not alone in this." He shrugs. Not really realizing what he's admitting. Seeing as Roman can listen to the lyrics as well. He's really grateful Roman doesn't decide to ask further what he means.
"Have you seen them live already?" His friend asks instead. Virgil shakes his head.
"No, they never come near our hometown." He replies a little disappointed.
"They're supposed to come somewhere near here in a couple of months, but I don't know if want to go alone." He adds with a lopsided smile.
"I could come with you if you like?" Roman offers. Virgil snickers up at him. Thinking he's joking.
"Seriously?" He blinks surprised.
"Yeah, you're going to the party on valentine's day for me. I can go to the concert for you." Roman smiles sincere.
"But you don't even know their music. And they're not your kind of music. You're going to hate the entire evening." Virgil reasons. Roman shrugs.
"The genre might not be my typical choice, but I can appreciate the feelings they've put in it. Besides it would make you happy, right?" He questions. Virgil looks at him for a while. Scanning his golden brown eyes to see if he's serious.
"It would." He finally admits when he doesn't see any hesitation in them.
"Then that's settled." Roman smirks. Virgil smiles softly down at himself. How can he ever stop loving this man if he keeps doing stuff like that?